The Braves rookie was impressive after a rough start.
The Atlanta Braves are not just winning games.
They are finding different ways to do it, and Thursday’s 7-2 win over the Washington Nationals gave them another example of why this stretch feels complete.
Atlanta clinched another series, wrapped up a 6-1 road trip and got a major lift from JR Ritchie in his debut.
The rookie gave up a home run on his first pitch, which could have turned the afternoon sideways, but he settled in and gave the Braves seven innings of two-run baseball with seven strikeouts.
Ritchie and Albies Step Up
Ritchie’s outing was the story because of how quickly it could have gone the other direction.
A first-pitch homer can shake a debut, especially on the road, but he worked through it with the same mix that got him to the majors.
“Kids got a lot of weapons man, for right and left handed hitters,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s in total control out there. That’s got to shake you up a little bit, first pitch you throw in the big leagues and it gets hit for a homer. But right back on the mound and attacking with all his stuff.”
That was the biggest takeaway for Atlanta.
Ritchie did not just survive the moment, he looked comfortable after it, and that matters for a rotation trying to keep building trust.
Ozzie Albies made sure the Braves had enough offense, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a homer, while Michael Harris II added three hits and two RBIs before leaving with left quad tightness.
Harris later said he felt good and expected to play Friday, which matters because he has been part of the balance that has made this Atlanta Braves lineup harder to get through.
The Braves broke the game open with four runs in the seventh inning, another good sign during this run because they are not waiting around for one star to carry every inning.
Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Albies and Harris all helped build pressure.
Phillies Series Brings Another Test
Now the Braves return home for a weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and the timing gives the matchup more weight.
Atlanta has already played strong baseball against them this season, but division games can change quickly.
The Braves should enter the weekend with confidence after winning their fifth straight series, getting a memorable debut from Ritchie and watching Albies keep producing in the middle of the order.
The Braves lineup looks deeper than it did earlier in the year, and the Braves rotation just got another encouraging sign from a young arm.
The only real concern from Thursday was Harris’ quad, even if the early word sounded positive.
If he is fine, Atlanta comes home in good shape after a road trip that showed more depth, balance and confidence than it had earlier in the season.